A Short Town Walk

Montabaur
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A Short Town Walk
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Tradition and Innovation.
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Two concepts which define Montabaur
On one hand, the romantic old town with its half-timbered
buildings, narrow streets, the old town wall and the castle.
On the other, the modern architecture of the ICE-Centre,
which reflects Montabaur’s prime location as an innovative
commercial centre.
Montabaur, the centre of the Southern Westerwald region,
has much to offer. Discover its diversity.
Discover Montabaur.
Welcome to
Montabaur.
Facts
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The town walk is just over a mile (1.95 km) – half a mile
longer on the alternative route – and will take roughly
an hour.
The route is marked on the map in the middle of
this brochure. The best place to start is at the
Tourist Information office in Konrad-Adenauer-Platz.
At various points along the route there are plaques,
providing further information about the sites.
The route is easily accessible, apart from the climb up
the cobbled road to the castle. There is however an
alternative (cf. Point 13).
Further information is available from the Tourist
Information office, where you can also book a variety
of guided walks.
959
The first mention of Montabaur was
in a document of 959, where it was
referred to as Humbach. At that
time Humbach was the residence
of Count Hermann in Engersgau,
later Duke of Swabia. The document,
which today is in the state archive in
Koblenz, records that Archbishop
Henry of Trier consecrated the first church in Montabaur to be
built on stone foundations.
1018
Humbach along with the Florinstift monastery in Koblenz was
transferred to the Archbishopric of Trier.
1227
Archbishop Dietrich ll of Wied (1212-1242) extended the fort
of “Humbach” in 1227 with a defence tower in order to protect
the castle against attacks from the Count of Nassau. He called
the castle “Mons Tabor”, after Mount Tabor, which he knew
from his crusade in the Holy Land: Hence the town’s present
name.
1291
After Montabaur was granted a town charter by King Rudolf
von Habsburg, it soon became an important trading centre for
the Westerwald. Trade prospered due to a privilege granted by
the German Emperor which guaranteed exemption from taxes
and duties between Cologne, Wetzlar, Frankfurt and Mainz.
1491, 1534, 1667
In these years large parts of the town were destroyed
in the three great fires, which led to severe economic setbacks.
The town was also cursed by plague and war and suffered
enormously during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648).
Town History.
1794
The French Revolution put an end to the Electoral Principality of Trier, which, despite retaining a small territory on
the right bank of the Rhine, was now devoid of all political
significance. As a result of electoral reforms, Archbishop
Wenceslaus of Trier was forced to relinquish his remaining
territory to the Duchy of Nassau.
1866/67
As an ally of Austria, Duke Adolf of Nassau lost his Duchy to
Prussia. Henceforth it became the Administrative District of
Wiesbaden within the Province of Hesse-Nassau. A decree
of 1867 divided this district into twelve regions. The Westerwald region was made up of the departments of Selters
Montabaur and Walmerod, with the town of Montabaur as
the seat of the regional administration.
1945/46
Following American and French occupation, the Allies
took over the entire administration of the former territory
of Nassau.
On 2nd January 1946 the Province of Rhineland-HesseNassau was founded, with Koblenz as the seat of the regional
government. The four districts of Diez, St. Goarshausen,
Montabaur and Westerburg formed the District of
Montabaur, consisting of 385 boroughs and municipalities.
1968
On 1st October 1968, following administrative reforms, the
District of Montabaur was dissolved and merged with the
District of Koblenz.
1972
April 1972 saw the merging of 24 parishes and villages into
the Municipality of Montabaur.
1
Konrad-Adenauer-Platz
(Konrad-Adenauer Square)
Over the years this modern square in
the heart of the town has been used
for a variety of purposes, including a
monastery garden and a fairground.
Today it is the site of the weekly
markets. Next to the Town Hall annex
there are shops, banks, restaurants and
cafés.
Schusterjunge (Cobbler’s Lad)
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The figure on the front of the
building opposite the Town Hall
annex is doing what many citizens
would like to do: on every quarter
hour he taps his forehead in the
direction of the Town Hall, the German way of suggesting they are not
quite right in the head. The cobbler‘s
lad is a reminder of Montabaur’s
shoe-making tradition.
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Großer Markt (Great Market Square)
The town of Montabaur has always a
held a strategic position on the main
trade routes. With the granting of a
town charter in 1291 Montabaur also
gained the right to hold markets. Thus
a foundation was laid for the development of the town as the centre of the
whole region. Today the weekly market
and several annual markets shape the
town’s image.
Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall)
This imposing neo-Gothic redbrick
building was built in 1870. It is the third
Town-Hall on this site.
The town hall is also referred to as The
Red Lion – in the Middle Ages when
trials were held here the lion was a
symbol of jurisdiction. Today it houses
the mayor’s office.
Sauerbrunnen (Drinking Fountain)
The Lion’s head is a reminder of the original
role of Montabaur as a seat of justice. The
water in the fountain is drinkable but has
a sour taste because of the high content
of carbonic acid (2,000 mg/l) and iron.
The water is very healthy and particularly
effective in the treatment of a variety of
ailments.
Marktbrunnen (Market Fountain)
The Market Fountain stands on
the site of an old well. On the central
pillar the 13 town gates and the
symbols of the 13 mediaeval guilds
are depicted. There is also an outline of the history of the town. The
carvings on the wall surrounding
the fountain depict the town crest
along with those of the neighbouring boroughs.
Haus Melchior (Melchior House)
For many years (from 1589) this
building was an important inn.
In the middle of the 18th century
an internal family feud ended in a
case of manslaughter. Thereupon
– on the order of the prince – the
building was split into two, as you
can tell from the double gable and
the dividing wall on the ground
floor. The loft was probably used to
store the town’s salt reserves. The
Prince Bishops of Trier, under whose
tutelage Montabaur stood, held a
state monopoly on the salt trade.
TIP:
Stop at one of the cafés or restaurants in the Großer Markt,
relax and take in the historical setting.
4
Kirchstraße (Church Street)
The Kirchstraße is dominated
by the half-timbered houses of
the old patrician families. The
timbered frames are typical
of streets in the lower part of
the central Rhineland. Most of
the houses here, like those in
the Großer Markt and Kleiner
Markt, date back to the late
seventeenth or early eighteenth
century.
Kirchstraße 1
(1 Church Street)
The small half-timbered
house on the left is thought
to be the oldest in the town.
A wooden beam inscribed
with the date 1500 was
found during renovation
works.
Kirchstraße 16 (16 Church Street)
The von Stein family, to whom
the house belonged from
1678 to 1780, had the inscription
painted above the baroque
doorway. The family – local
aristocrats- did not live in the
house themselves but rented
it to important officials in the
Montabaur administration.
TIP:
The Färberbachstraße (on the right) is worth a look.
Number 4 has been lovingly restored and is now part of
a hotel. A good place to stay in a mediaeval setting.
5
Katholische Pfarrkirche
St. Peter in Ketten
(RC Parish Church St. Peter in Ketten)
This is the oldest church in the lower
Westerwald region.
The first wooden structure of 940 was
replaced in 959 by a second church
on stone foundations, dedicated to
Saint George and Saint Peter.
Building on the present church was
started at the end of the 12th century
and completed in the middle of the
14th century. Later on it was repeatedly refurbished and rebuilt as a
result of fires and structural damage.
The last complete refurbishment
was in 2003.
TIP:
In the church porch there
are leaflets which provide
detailed information on the
architecture and history of
the church.
6
TIP:
Next to the bust
there is an engraved
map of the old school
campus.
Denkmal Joseph Kehrein
(Joseph Kehrein Monument)
The scholar and educationalist
Joseph Kehrein, who had a decisive influence on Montabaur’s
education system was made a
freeman of the town in 1873. He
came to Montabaur in 1855 as
Dean of the Catholic Teacher
Training College and immediately embarked on an extensive programme of education
in Montabaur. To this day
Montabaur remains an important centre of learning for the
whole region.
1 Konrad-Adenauer Square
2 Cobbler’s Lad
3 Great Market Square
4 Church Street
5 RC Parish Church
St. Peter in Ketten
6 Joseph Kehrein Monument
7 Waggoner’s chapel
8 The Swedes‘ Tower
Montabaur
Town Plan.
Town walk
Alternative Route
Public footpath
Steps
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Car parks
9 Jews‘ Alley
13 The Castle
10 Recruiters‘ Alley
14 The Wolf Tower
11 Small Market Square
15 Burgundy Garden
12 The Grapevine
16 Town Wall
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Fuhrmannskapelle
(Waggoner’s chapel)
The former cemetery chapel is
in the group of half-timbered
buildings next to the church.
Also known as St Anna’s chapel,
it was built around 1300. The
other buildings here, which
include the former rectory,
were for a time used as a school
for boys.
8
Stadtmauerturm
Schwedenturm
(The Swedes‘ Tower)
The ”Gebück“ – the slope behind the
church was the impregnable hedge
of thorns and brambles, which along
with the Swedes’ Tower, was the
first line of the town’s defence
fortifications. The tower originally
jutted out five feet from the edge
of the precipice, delicately poised
over the sheer drop to the Sauertal
below.
9
Judengasse (Jews‘ Alley)
The Jews of Montabaur lived in
this street in the Middle Ages.
They left because they were
persecuted after two outbreaks
of the plague in 1348 and 1348,
for which they were blamed.
They later returned and settled
around the Vorderer- und
Hinterer Rebstock.
Stadtmauerturm Schiffchen
(Town Wall Tower)
Remains of the old town wall can
still be seen in the Judengasse.
Apart from its military function,
the tower was also used as a jail for
people who had committed minor
offences.
TIP:
From here you have a fantastic
view of the Sauertal, which was
for centuries the main road in
and out of Montabaur.
Werbhausgasse (Recruiters‘ Alley)
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The ”Zum Heiligen Geist “ Inn was
first mentioned in1476.. Later in 18th
century, when officers and nobles
wishing to enlist soldiers for their
regiments stayed there, it became
known as the Werbehaus: “Werben”
means to recruit, hence the name of
the alley.
>> Your route will now take you through the Werbhausgasse to
the Kirchstraße and on to the Großer Markt, which you crossed at
the beginning of the tour.
11
Kleiner Markt
(Small Market Square)
This is where the daily dairy market
was held in the Middle Ages. It is
nicknamed the Trichter (funnel), as
it is so narrow because of the overhanging upper floor of the halftimbered building. The date on the
facade is 1682. The slate facades,
typical of the region, are always found
on the weather side of the building.
12
Rebstock (The Grapevine)
There is some evidence that Montabaur had its own vineyard at the
foot of Humbach Castle, which is one
explanation for the name of this part
of the town. (Rebstock =vine). Up
to the time of the Nazi persecution
many Jews lived in the Vorderer- und
Hinterer Rebstock. They were often
merchants or cattle traders.
Vorderer Rebstock 26 housed the
congregation’s prayer room until
1889 when a synagogue was built in
the Wallstraße.
TIP:
Step into the ”Hinterer Rebstock”. Some of the old houses
there are decorated with beautiful carvings, paintings and
inscriptions.
13 Schloss (The Castle)
The yellow castle is Montabaur‘s most famous landmark and
its impressive skyline and unusual colour it make it immediately
recognisable. The present baroque castle was built between
1687 and 1709. Since 1969 it has belonged to the German
Cooperative Bank Academy (ADG) and now houses a congress
and conference centre as well as the ADG business school.
>> If you can’t manage the steps, return to Kleinen Markt Wolfsturm
TIP:
If you have a little time, it’s worth making a small detour
to the Wolfsturm: however the last part is quite steep.
So if you want to look at Burgunderplatz and the old town wall
on the way back, it will take an extra 15 minutes.
14
Wolfsturm (The Wolf Tower)
The Wolfsturm was probably
built in the mid-14th century
and is the largest tower in the
old town fortifications with a
height of 20 metres (66 feet).
For many years this two-storey
tower was used as a prison.
From 1628-31 men, women
and children were imprisoned
here and tried for witchcraft.
>> There is no public access to
the interior
15
Burgunderplatz
(Burgundy Garden)
Montabaur is twinned with
Tonnerre in Burgundy. The
bronze sculpture combines the
skylines of the two towns, thus
symbolising their multi-faceted,
long-standing bonds.
16 Stadtmauer (Town Wall)
Part of the old wall can still be seen in the heart of
Montabaur. In summer the small public garden with the
“Frog fountain” is ideal for relaxing or a game of bowls.
The garden and the wall are also used for exhibitions and
installations by local artists.
More to see:
Further Places of Interest
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Jewish Cemetery
Modern architecture in the ICE-Park ICE Centre
The Pilgrimage Church in Wirzenborn (Gelbachtal)
More to do:
Art and Culture
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b-05 - Arts and Culture centre near Horressen
the sculpture trail in Reckenthal: walk in the fresh air
and at the same time view the14 wooden objets d‘art
Motorbike Museum in Wirzenborn
Capitol Cinema
Concerts, Plays, Exhibitions, Variety, Readings, Markets,
Festivals all these are listed and updated in our „What’s
On in Montabaur” – available at the Tourist information
Office or online
Experience and
discover Montabaur.
Montabaur and Sport:
Sport and Recreation (Facilities)
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Quendelberg Recreation Park: a large adventure playground offering sports facilities for children of all ages
(football, volleyball, table-tennis etc.) as well as a bistro.
Mons-Tabor-Bad – Swimming Baths
Airfield
Horse-riding centres
Nordic-Walking Trails – three in the local woods
Nature trail and “Kneipp facility” in the local woods
Rambling in Montabaur: in the romantic Gelbachtal,
along the Schusterjungenweg, the Elchweg in Elgendorf,
around Reckenthal on the sculpture trail or from
Horressen to the watchtower on the Köppel, the highest
of the hilltops outside Montabaur
Exploring Montabaur:
Guided walks
Montabaur offers a wide range of town walks, from the
standard town walk to themed walks, such as a Food Walk,
on which you sample local dishes along the way.
For enquiries and bookings please contact the
Tourist Information Office
Tel. 02602/126-272 oder 126-777,
E-Mail: stadtfuehrungen@montabaur.de
Experience and
discover Montabaur.
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For individuals and families there is a free guided tour in
German (Saturdays 11am, May to October). It is not
necessary to book, just turn up at the old town hall. The
walk will take about 1½ hours.
On certain dates there are themed walks, such as Historic
Montabaur by Night, or the Food Walk.
Our guides cater for school trips, staff outings and tourist
groups and will try to accommodate any individual
wishes if you book a tour with us.
Further information available from:
Tourist-Information
Verbandsgemeindeverwaltung
Montabaur
Konrad-Adenauer-Platz 8
56410 Montabaur
Telefon (0 26 02) 126-777
tourismus@montabaur.de
Tourist-Information Office opening hours:
May to October
Monday - Friday:
9.00 am - 6.00 pm
Saturday:
11.00 am - 1.00 pm
November to April
Monday - Wednesday: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm
Thursday:
9.00 am - 6.00 pm
Friday:
9.00 am - 3.00 pm
Mai 2013
www.montabaur.de